Suction cleaning apparatus



F. E. ROBERTSON.

SUCTION CLEANING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED IuLY22. 1916.

1,382,548. Patenbedlune 21, 1921.

Inv/n v, www gmk EROMZIW UNITED STATES FRANK E. ROBERTSON, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ABSIGNOR TO TELE P. A. GEIEB COH- IPANY, OF CLEYELAND, OHIO, CORPORATION 0F OHIO.

sUc'rioN CLEANING APPARATUS.

'Patented June 21,1921.

Application aie'a iuiy 22, 191s. sei-'iai No'. 110,689.

To all lw'wm t may concern.'

Be it known that I, FRANK E. ROBERTSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in 'Suction Cleaning Apparatus, of which the following is .a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in suction cleaning apparatus, and, more particularly, to means associated with the'suction nozzle thereof, comprising a brush per-1 manently attached thereto and adapted to be actuated into and out of position's'of effective operation with respect to'said nozzle.

It has been long recognized that apparatus of this type may be most advantageously operated in connection with a brushing or sweeping member and these, ordinarily, have consisted in a brush positioned within the nozzle of the suction cleaner or a separate brush member adapted to be placed upon and removed from the nozzle. The former type somewhat obstructs the nozzle and is inclined to collect dust, while the latter requires a certain 'amount of time and attention for attaching and removing the brush.4

Inasmuch as conditions frequently arise for using the suction nozzle alternately with or without the brush, it is quite desirable to construct the brush member so that it may be put into and out of use at the will of the operator. This I have done by means of an actuating mechanism secured at the side of the suction nozzle, which permits the brush to coperate therewithor withdraws it entirely from use. Ireferably, the brush is resiliently mounted and it is associated with adjusting means so that practically the entire volume of air may be drawn through the brush member as it is swept over the carpet, and thereby increases the eiliciency of l the suction cleaner.

The features of my improvement will be more readily understood by making reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of a suc- 'tioncleaning appliance partially broken away and equipped with my impro-vement. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary rear view as indicated by the line 2-2 and the arrow in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a similar view with the outer casing removed for the purpose of showing the actuating mechanism of the brush.` Fig. 4 is still another fragmentary view showing Fig. 5 is an enlarged side view of the Anozzle and brush, illustrating by dotted lines the extreme operative positions thereof. Throughout the several figures of the drawi the brush and its depressing spring; and

ing I have employed the same character of re e rence to indicate similar parts.

Referring first to Fig. l, showing suction cleaning apparatus a, my said invention is illustrated applied to the nozzle b thereof. This nozzle is removable from the fan chamber and adjustable as to position and height by means of the screw c which acts upon the horizontally pivoted arm mounting the rear` wheel c. The extremes of operating position for the nozzle are shown by full and dotted lines in Fig. 5. The two lugs b upon the rear of the nozzle are adapted to support. the adjustable brush mechanism, comprising the brush member d, which is coextensive with and is positioned closely ad- 'acent to the rear edgeof the suction nozzle.

his brush member has a lug d and is normally depressed by a bowed spring d, which reacts against the lugs b. An adjusting p late e is terminally slotted in its upper portion .at e to accommodate the lugs and is provided -with a substantially triangular cam opening e for receiving the lugcl, positioned rearwardly of the brush inember. A face plate f, slotted at f', is secured to the lugs b and permits of vertical movement of the lug d within said slot, under the tension of the spring d or the action of the cam opening e" provideil in the actuating member.

In Fig. 3 the several parts are shown in their position for retracting the brush, in

which position the lug d is retained in a cleaning the same when the suction cleaner is in operation. By adjusting screw c', however, so that the nozzle of the suction cleaner is tilted downward more sharply, the brush will Abe slightly retracted against the tension of its .spring while the forward edge of greater portion of the air currents must find entrance to the nozzle through the tufts of the brush member and great efiicienc is secured for the suction cleaner with t is. adjustment.

By moving the adjusting member to the left, as shown in Fig. 2, the brush member is once more retracted so that it is out 'of engagement with the floor or Hoor covering an the suction nozzle may be used as such for any desired period, subject tothef im mediate restoration of the brush to its operative position upon reversing the position of the actuating member. Thus, it will be seen that the brush and nozzle may be conjointly used or not, with the least trouble and effort on the part of the o erator. Moreover, when the brush member com es worn, another may be inserted with very little trouble, While the spring automatically accommodates for considerable Wear of the 'brush and for a certain amount of unevenness of the surface being cleaned.

In ractice the spring preferably is tensione and the bristles o the brush member are of sufficient stiffness to 'preventthe rug or carpet from being drawn against the mouth of the suction nozzle when the brush member is protruded. (Fig. 5.) It will be understood that any-suitable brush or abradin member may be substituted for the specigc brush herein shown, provided it shall serve substantially the same purpose.

Although -I have shown and described my I invention as applied to the suction nozzle of a portable, electrically driven cleaning apliance; being the preferred form in which have thus `far embodied my said invention, .I do not desire to be understood as necessarily limiting its application thereto, and

accordin ly, I claim, and desire to Letters atent,^the following 1. The combination with an air-current cleaning nozzle, of a spring tensioned to resist the pressure normally induced by the secure by air, a brushing member normally protruded thereby into positions of coperation with Said nozzle exteriorly of its rear edge, and exteriorly accessible means for actuating said member to hold it in inoperative position, substantially as set fort 2.' The combination with an air-current cleaning nozzle, of a brush member exteriorly positioned adjacent to one edge thereof, a spring acting thereon normally to press it resiliently into osition of coaction therewith, and an exteriorl accessible cam adjustably mounted on sai nozzle adapted to occup?I either of two positions and when said ositions to retract the brush member out o its operative position, sibstantially as 'set forth.

3. The combination with an air--current insane' cleaning nozzle, of-a brushing member laterally and exteriorly positioned thereon a spring resiliently extending said mem r into operative sitionand tension'edl to resist the norma suctionv ofthe nozzle and prevent the rug from sealing the mouth thereof, and means for adjusting the edge of th'e nozzle opposite the brushing member into close relation with the rug, substantially as set forth. 1

4. The combination with a suction cleanning nozzle, of a bristle-tufted brush mem- .ber positioned at one edge of said nozzle,

a retractive cam-part acting against saidbrush member, and a spring normally rotruding the bristles beyond the lower e e of the nozzle and resiliently en agin t em with the surface acted upon,sai cameing adapted in one position to retract the 4brush member into its inoperative position, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with a' suction cleaning device havin a forwardly positioned cleaning nozzle, o means for an larly adjusting the nozzle about a closevyLl adjacent horizontal axis, a brush member positioned adjacent to one edge of the nozzle, an adjust? ing cam-part acting against said brush member, and as ring acting on said brush member normal y to rotru'de the brush member beyond said e ge and resiliently hold it in operative position.l with respect to said nozzle, said cam being adapted in one position to retract thev brush member into its inoperative position, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination with an elongated air current cleaningnozzle, of means for abruptly ltilting 1t along its horizontal axis to bring one edge normally into substantial engagement wit the cleaned surface and for retaining it in tilted position, a brush member coextensive with and positioned adjacent to and below its opposite ed e, and spring means for pressing the brus against the surface to be cleaned, whereby said brush is adapted to `yield, upwardl as it contacts .with said surface, substantia ly as set forth.

7 The combination with an elongated aircurrent cleaning nozzle, of means forabruptly tilting it substantially along its horizontal axis to bring one edge closely adjacent to the cleaned surface, a resiliently mounted brush member coextensive with and positioned exteriorly adjacent to and below its opposite edge, and a retracting member adapted to withdraw said brush member from its extended set forth.

8. Inapparatus of the class described, the combination with the brush member mountedfor vertical adjustment, of a tensioned spring normally extending said brush member into operative position, and a movable cam-plate mounted on said nozzle operaposition, substantially as tively engaging the brush member and adapted in one position to retract and hold it in inoperative position, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination with a suction cleaning device having an elongated floorcleanto retract it into inoperative position with respect to said nozzle, substantially as set forth. l

10. The combination with a suction-cleaning nozzle, of an adjustable brush member coperatively associated with one edge' thereof and mounted for upward movement into inoperative position, a spring normally protruding said brush member for such cooperation, and a vdetent adapted to be actuated into engagement with the brush member for tensioning the spring and holding said brush member in its inoperative position with respect to the edge of the nozzle, substantially as set forth.

11. The combination with a suction-cleaning nozzle, of a brush member associated and coextensive with one edge thereof, a spring acting .normally to protrude the bristles of said brush member below said edge, a transversely movable plate mounted on. 'said nozzle accessible exteriorly of the device and having upper and lower bearing faces operatively associated with and controlling the position of the brush member,

adapted to retract and hold it in inoperative' posltion above the edge of the nozzle or alternatively release it for the resilient rotrusion thereof by the spring, substantlally as set forth.

In testimony whereof I do now aiix my signature in t e presence of two witnesses.

GEoRGE WIMAN, ALBERT LYNN LAWRENCE. 

